Valve lubricating device for combustion engines



Patented Dec. 4, 1934 VALVE .L'UBRICATING DEVICE FOR.

COMBUSTION ENGINES Black, Toronto,wntario, Canada QApplication November 13,1933, Serial Ive/697,713 V i In Canada December 22, 1932 I 4 Claims. (Cl. 123196) The principal .objectflof this invention is to eliminatefthe difiiculty met with incident to the adequate lubricationof valve members in an internal combustion engine and to. provide. an

;.improved form of device tor this purpose which .willprovide for the introduction in thecombustion zoneof the engineof a lubricantwthe quantity and, character of which may be accurately controlled in accordance with requirements.

A further andimportant object of the invention is; to provide a device of this kind for the introduction of a, humidifying medium inrregulated proportions along with the lubricating me- .dium'and to providea construction which may be readily adjusted to*controltherelative proportion of; the lubricating and .humidifying medium entering the combustionzone. g l "I 'he principal feature of the invention consists in the novel construction andarrangement of partswherein air having in suspensiona lubrieating medium-is directed to the combustion zone through a regulating valveand air, steam or water-vapour isassociated therewithunder the .accurate control of a second-control valve wherebyAa-humidified lubricating vapour of accurately controlled proportionsvis provided. r

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a mid-sectional elevationalmview throughyea device constructed in accordance with the present invention. 7

Figure 2 is a mid-sectional elevational view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic elevational view of aninstallation in keeping with the present invention.

Various forms of devices have been devised from time to time for introducing a humidified supply of air directly. into the intake manifold and combustion zone of an internal combustion engine. It has also been proposed to provide a receptacle of lublicating' oil through which air is drawn and conducted directly to the intake manifold of the engine- The present invention proposes a distinct advance in the art over these previous isolated practices in the provision of a unitaryconstruction which will not only provide for adequate top lubrication for a combustion engine, but to provide in conjunction therewith a means of controlling the humidity of the oil-charged vapour entering the combustion zone whereby the chiciency of the engine will be doubly enhanced.

In the form of construction illustrated herein I propose to provide a hollow dome-shaped fit-- of a combusti wall 3 casting with an enlarged ting preferably in the form of acasting 1 having a threaded boss extension 2 at one side which is adapted to be threaded into'the intake manifold on engine or suitably connected therewith by a lengthof tubing; 7 I y V The dome-shaped casting 1 has preferably formed integral therewith a centraltr'ansverse and a passage 4 extends inwardly through a boss 2;to merge substantially centrally of the passage or bore 5 which extends out through the boss 6 of the casting.

The passages 4 andfi are thus subject to-the vacuum condition existing inthe intake manifold of the engine.

A container"? is detachably connected' at 8 x to thedownwardly extending annular'flange 9 of the casting and'is. adaptedto be filled with a suitablequality of lubricating'oil-orliquid;

A tube 10 open at its outer end. to atmosphere ishsupported'at its upper end inthe casting 1 and extends downwardly within the container '7 to a .point adjacent the bottom thereofand is adapted'to admit air into. the body. of lubricating liquid within the container .7' at the bottom thereof so that air is brokenup into fine bubbles and charged with'oilvapo'ur.

The amount of air entering the tube 10 is un- .der-the'. accurate-.controlof a valve member 11 threaded axially of the casting 1 and having its lower end cooperating with the valve passage 12 which extends through the bottom of the wall connecting the passages 4 and 5 with the interior of the receptacle 7. Thus by regulating the valve 11 an accurate supply of the amount of oilcharged air entering the passages 5 and 4 to be carried to the intake of rately regulated.

Threaded into the boss 6 is a T-shaped fitting 13 having a passage 14 seated at 15 for co-operation with a needle valve lfithreaded into the the engine may be accufitting. The lower branch 1'7 of the fitting preferably has threaded thereinto a fitting 18 having an enlarged seat at the upper end against which the ball valve 19 is adapted to seat by gravity.

According to the present invention it is proposed to connect the interior passage of the fitting 18 either with the vapour space in the upper chamber of a radiator or with a suitable steamgenerating device, so that while the englue is operating a constant source or" steam or heated water vapour will be available and the association of this medium will be under the accurate control of the valve member 16 so that it will be observed that an accurate control of the humidity of the oil-charged vapour entering the engine is provided for in this construction, or the inflow of air may be regulated.

The heat of the humidified charge permitted to pass the valve 16 is imparted to the air-borne lubricant within the enlarged chamber 5 and during its passage through the passage 4 to the intake manifold, the lubricating medium will be sufficiently broken up so that it will be distributed uniformly over the surfaces with which it comes in contact.

It will be noted that the casting or fitting 1 in being dome-shaped provides at all times a reservoir chamber above the level of the liquid in the receptacle '7 in which will be contained a volume of oil-charged air, and since the passage 12 draws its supply from this reservoir chamber, an adequate and uniform supply of the lubricant to the engine will be ensured.

A device such as described is extremely compact and efficient in its operation, and while in the drawing I have shown a preferred form of the invention, it will be understood that many structural alterations may be made in the carrying out of the invention without departing from the essential spirit thereof.

It will be understoodthat the fitting 18 instead of being connected to the radiator system of the car or to a heat generator as defined to receive both heat and vapour, may be connected in certain cases with any suitable means by means of which a charge of moisture with or without the application of heat may be introduced into the passage 5.

What I claim as my invention is:-

1. A combined lubricator and humidifier for internal combustion engines, comprising in combination, means for containing a supply body of lubricating oil, means releasing a flow of air into the body of lubricating oil to absorb therefrom a vapour charge, a valve controlled passage conducting oil-charged vapour from said supply to the intake manifold of the engine, and a valve controlled means introducing a regulated quantity of humidified air into said passage to further vaporize and humidify the said oil charged vapour.

2. A combined lubricator and humidifier for internal combustion engines, comprising in combination, a receptacle adapted to contain a supply of lubricating oil, means closing said receptacle and forming therewith an enlarged vapour reservoir above said supply, said means having a valved passage leading to the intake of the engfne, and receiving a regulated supply of oil vapour from said reservoir, and means introducing a separate heated humidified air charge in regulated quantities into said passage to mingle with and humidify the oil vapour therein.

3. A combined lubricator and humidifier for internal combustion engines, comprising an inverted'cup-shaped casing having an outlet passage for connection with the intake manifold of an engine, an oil receptacle detachably secured to the rim of said inverted cup-shaped fitting having its interior communicating with the interior of said inverted cup-shaped fitting, said fitting having a duct connecting said outlet passage with the interior of the oil receptacle and cup, a valve controlling said duct, a valve fitting mounted on said cup-shaped fitting and adapted to be connected with a source of steam or humidifying vapour, said valve fitting having a valve therein for controlling the supply of the humidifying medium and said outlet passage being connected with said valve fitting to receive said humidifying medium.

4. A combined lubricator and humidifier forlo5 internal combustion engines, comprising in combination an inverted dome-shaped cup member having a boss extension on one side for connection with the intake of the engine, said cupshaped member having a wall internally extending from side to side in alignment with said lug extension, said wall having a passage extending through said lug extension and merging substantially centrally or the cup-shaped fitting with an enlarged mixing'passage, an oil receptacle detachably secured to the rim of said cup, said wall having a duct connecting the interior of said oil receptacle with said respective passages, a valve threaded into said wall of the cup and controlling said duct, and valve means controlling the entrance of a humidifying agent into said enlarged passage.

WILLIAM A. BLACK. 

